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1 

STAPLES 
An  Address. 


AN    ADDRESS 

IN   COiiriEriORATION   OF  THE   ORDINATION 
AND   SETTLEMENT   OF 

REV.    JOHN    HANCOCK 


THE    PARISH    OF    CAMBRIDGE    FARMS 

NOW     LEXINGTON, 

BY 

REV.    CARLTON    A.    STAPLES, 

November  2,   1 898. 


•* 


o 


R6  enclosed  poem  is  supposed  to  have  been  written 
by  yobn  jMascarene,  a  Spanish  student,  living  in  the 
family  of  Dr.  F>enry  GClare,  at  Cambridge,  and  pre- 
sented to  bis  daughter,  Lucy  Clarke  dare,  whose 
daughter  presented  it  to  Lexington  historical  &  ?& 
Society,  1898. 


T 


F)S  poem  was  probably  written  sometime  between 
1800  and   1805,  the  date  of  ]VIr.  Clarke's  death  ,& 


A  DISSERTATION  ON  THE  REV. 
JONAS  CLARKE'S  SEAT  AT 

I  f.XINGTON. 


At  it's  appri  >a<  h  \  ou  \  iew  an  dm 

\\ :  Aide  i 1 1 1 1  ending 

l  pe  bright  ^i-ni  beams 

I  !■  .in  scor<  hing  heat  des<  ending. 

\  imI  very  near  the  ti 

With  roses  tli.it  when  blooming 
•■1  .1  smell  extensively 
ghtful  .ind  perfuming. 

Ami  in  tin-  midst  four  trees  that 
Fine  rare  ripes;  quite  auspicious, 

Which  when  to  view   look  fresh  and  fair 
And  taste  the  most  deli<  i<  »US. 

And  to  ;  joined 

An  orchard  large  ami  blowing 
With  apples,  which  almost  bend 

l>oun  to  the  earth  when  gTOWine. 

(  >n  1  tie  two  rows  of  tie 

Which  form  a  hall  most  lovely 
Where  rural  scenes  and  prospects  | 
this  walk  so  grovely. 

Whei  ur  view 

\  xtending 

new 

ii  fruit  ami  blossoms  bending, 

re  brilliant  dra 

:  a  full  1>1<" mi  complection, 
us  plainly  si 
•  ion. 


UQSB    'id 


When  we  consider  him  who  made 
The  lightning,  rain  and  thunder, 

And  this  vast  world's  foundation  laid 
From  nothing;  with  what  wonder 

And  great  delight  shall  we  behold 

This  last  work  of  Creation 
All  made  in  six  days  we  are  told  ; 

Such  scenes  of  contemplation, 

Must  sure  excite  the  human  mind 

To  reverence  and  adore 
Jehovah's  wisdom  which  we  find 

Extensive  as  his  power. 

Two  front  rooms  on  the  lower  floor 

A  kitchen  on  behind, 
On  one  side  a  small  parlor  more, 

An  out-house  to  it  joined. 

With  perfect  neatness  smiling  round 

No  painted  wood  is  seen, 
But  the  two  front  rooms  papered  found 

One  pink,  the  other  green. 

Some  images  in  one  are  shown, 
The  other  leaves  and  branches ; 

And  a  floor  smooth  enough  to  learn 
All  kinds  of  country  dances. 

Those  posts  on  which  the  wainscots  join 
Arc  found  as  smooth  as  glass, 

And  furniture  around  each  room 
Shines  bright  as  polished  brass. 

A  clock  stands  in  the  keeping  room 
Keeps  time  of  day  precisely, 

And  1  Ik  nigh  in  years  looks  in  full  bloom 
Being  rubbed  up  so  nicely. 


(over) 


A  looking  glass  is  garnished  round 
\\  idi  evergreen  quite  smiling  ; 

Like  wax-work  all  things  may  be  found 
Without  one  thing  left  soiling. 

the  chimney  piece  a  n 
Small  picture  hangs  in  vi< 
a  rural  seat 

With  colors  green  and  blue. 

( >n  one  side  of  this  chimney's  made 

A  closet  stored  with  plate, 
Which  nearly  has  it  may  be  said 

A  ill >zen  pounds  in  weight. 

'rho  kitchen  has  a  dresser  white. 

Afnxt  t«>  it  are  shelves 
With  pewter  standing  and  so  bright 

That  two  might  see  themselves. 

Under  the  dresser  there  might  be  seen 

S<  ime  <  >pper,  brass  and  tin 
Like  crystal  stored  in  brightness  be 

S  ime  outside  and  others  in. 

br.i^s  candlesticks  of  different  kinds 

Stand  on  the  mantel  |  >ie<  e. 

ir  as  amber  may  be  found 
Without  one  spot  ot  -lease. 

'The  food  it  is  exceeding  -cod 
When  set  upon  the  table  : 
•  rmpting  that  I  eat 
As  mui  ii  as  1  am  able. 

thing  one  can  desire 
be  found  in  this  house 
I  t  one  thing,  the  widower 
II  ■    iny  spoi 


AN    ADDRESS 

I5Y 

Ki:v.   Cari,ton   j\.   Staples, 

IN     COMMEMORATION     OF 

THE     OKDIXATIOX     AND     SETPLKMK.X'I'    OK 

Joi  i\    Hancxxmc, 

N<  >V.  12,  1698, 

Over  Cambridge  Farms   Parish. 

I  X  <  >AV     LEXIN"GT(  >IN~] 

IN    THE 

Fihst   Pakisii    Church, 

(  I  'MTARIAX  ) 

LEXINGTON,      MASS. 
Nov.   2,   1898. 


ARLINGTON: 

C.    S.    PARKER    &    SON.    PRINTERS. 

1  rjoo. 


Historical     Address. 

This  evening  we  are  to  turn  back  the  pages  of  history 
two  hundred  years.  What  are  the  conditions  under  which 
the  people  of  the  parish  of  Cambridge  Farms,  now  Lex- 
ington, are  living?  After  a  long  struggle  to  retain  it,  Massa- 
chusetts has  been  deprived  of  her  colonial  charter  and  made 
a  Province  of  Great  Britain.  Her  governor  is  no  longer 
elected  by  the  people,  but  appointed  by  royal  authority. 
William  III.,  of  blessed  memory  to  the  Protestant  heart,  is 
king  .uid  legal  meetings  here  are  warned  in  his  majesty's  name. 
The  parish,  then  considerably  larger  than  the  present  town 
of  Lexington  in  territory,  contains,  as  supposed,  hardly  more 
than  three  hundred  inhabitants,  or  from  thirty  to  forty  fami- 
lies. In  1698,  Boston  had  a  population  of  seven  thousand, 
as  stated  by  Cotton  Mather-  not  twice  as  large  as  Lexing- 
ton to-day.  This  village  possibly  contains  half  a  dozen  dwell- 
ings. Originally  its  site  was  nearly  all  comprised  in  one  huge 
grant  of  600  acres  held  by  the  Pelham  family,  and  only  re- 
cently divided  and  sold  in  three  equal  tracts.  Not  fifty  per- 
sons probably  are  living  within  the  bounds  of  what  is  now 
(ailed  "Lexington  Centre."'  <  )l  these  are  the  families  ol 
Benj.  Muzzey,  on  the  Stetson  place;  John  Munroe,  neai 
belli}'  Mill:  Joseph  Estabrook,  on  the  Plumer  place,  and 
Jonathan  Poulter,  in  the  vicinity  <>l  the  baptist  Church. 
These  are  all  we  cm  positively  identify  as  living  within  the 
limits  of  this  village  when  John    Hancock,  then  a   young   man 


,  IIISTOKK'AI        \  I  •!  m 

,  .inn-,  in    1697.  to  pir. k  I)  as  .1  <  andidati 

irook,  re<  entl)    d<  1  .-,  ,|,|,- 

.in  humble,  feeble  folk,  widely 

,1    the   mosl    pari   on    lonely   farms,   reached 

carl    paths  cut    through  the   woods. 

e   pine  swamps  extend  <>n  the  west  and  on  the   north  of 

what   is   ii"\\  the  village,  and   where  by  the  Concord 

.   the  road    is  <  .tiled   •■  tin    1  i)       built 

upon   logs,  probably,  over  .1    sunken   marsh,  where  to-da) 

rdens  and   fields. 

h,  in  brief,  are  some  ol  the  natural  features  of  the  place 

mil  tin-   youi  her    came,   as  the   picture  is  made 

.mt    from   the    public    1  The   meeting   house  stood   at 

the  s"Uth  end  of  the  common,  where  the  watering  trough  now 

ted   a   few  years  before      probably   a   frame   building, 

but   of    what   dimensions,  or    style    of   architecture,  there    is    no 

kni'"  We  are  told  that  upper  galleries  were   put  in  as 

ised.     What   is  (ailed  a  "  Turriott "  (tur- 

near  it  where  the   hell  was  hung.      Hard  by  were   the 

Sabbath    breakers   and   other   evil   doers,  hut 

was    kept    of   those    put   therein,   much 

n    <>f    their   descendants.      The    hell    was    a 

other    church    <>f    Cambridge    to    this 

her   four   daughters     the   churches 

v     ion    being   elder  members 

Within    the    I  3  5,    ar- 

the    principal 

m    the    women,     the    boys    sitting    in     the     rear. 

thej    might  "  by 

tion    and 

er   improper    conduct. 


HISTORICA1 


The  people  were  seated  according  to  their  age,  property, 
or  importance  in  the  community,  magistrates  and  old  peo 
pie  having  seats  nearest  the  pulpit.  The  seating  of  the 
meeting  house  was  a  matter  of  great  difficulty  and  deli- 
cacy, causing  often  much  hard  and  bitter  feeling,  since 
the  estimate  of  a  person's  importance  made  by  the  Com- 
mittee often  differed  materially  from  his  own.  Here  it  was 
voted  that  in  seating  they  should  have  respect  only  to  Real 
Estate,  and  to  one  head  of  the  family,  and  that  all  the 
people  should  bring  in  their  a.ges  before  a  given  date  to 
the  Selectmen,  that  the  seating  may  be  correctly  done. 
Nothing  is  said  of  pews  in  the  meeting-house,  before  the 
second  house  was  erected  in  17 13,  when  space  was  sold 
for  them  on  the  floor,  each  man  built  his  own  pew  and 
families    were    allowed    to    sit    together,       In     reseating    the 

meeting  house,  from   time   to   time,  it    was   voted    thai    n .111 

should  be  degraded,  that  is,  be  assigned  to  a  lower  place 
than  he  was  occupying.  But  how  strange  and  trivial  this 
contention  appears  over  the  position  of  one's  scat  in  the 
meeting  where  the  people  came  to  worship; God.  The)  want- 
ed it  to  indicate  their  standing  in  wealth,  authority  and  social 
importance;  back-woods  fanners  and  their  wives,  living  in 
a  hard,  poor  way,  strenuous  to  be  so  placed  that  all  might 
know  their  relative  position  to  their  neighbors  in  age,  in 
real  estate  and  in  social  standing.  There  was  unquestii  n- 
ably  a  great  respect  anion-  the  New  England  Puritans  for 
these  distinctions  and  the)  recognized  (hem,  even  in  the 
house  of  God.  This  respect  for  rank  in  society  was 
ried  into  the  college.  In  the  earl)  catalogues  ol  Harvard, 
students  are  arranged  on  thai  principle.  Nanus  were  nol 
printed    alphabetically,    nor    according    to   scholarship,    bul   to 


i.  HISTORICAL      ADDRI 

the  wealth  and  social  position  ol   their   parents.     Sons  of   mag 
landed  proprietors,  merchants  and  ministers 
came    ihm    on    the    list,    and  aftei   them  the  sons  ol   farmers, 
nd     laborers.       fohn     II.uk  oik    could     not    have 
ligh  on   such  .1  catalogue,  since  he  was  tin-   son 
mbridge    shoe    maker,   Dea.   Nathaniel    Hancock,  liv- 
in    tliii    part    ol     Cambridge    now     known    ;is    Newton. 
(.inn-  t'i    preach    here  and    looked    down   upon  the 
congregation   from   the  high   pulpit,  he  could  tell     it   a  glance 
where    the    people    stood    financially  and    socially    in    respect 
to    cull    other,    whethei    the    Bowmans    were    richer  than   the 
.ii    the    Munroes   than    the     Reeds,    or    the    Cutlers 
than    the    Wellingtons,    or    tin-     Muzzeys    than    the     Fiskes. 
lei    us    enquire,     whal    is   known    of    the    preacher    him- 
Nine    years     before    coming     here    he    had    graduated 
from    1 1. ii  \.u.l.      I  he    intervening   time     was    spent    in    teach- 
ing   school,    preparing    for    the    ministry    and     in     preaching 
to    the    churches    in     Groton    and    in    Medford.       He    s< 
to    have    ministered    here    foi    nearly    a    year  before  his  <>rdi- 
i    and   settlement.      At   first   there    was  some  opposition 
iving     him     a     rail     between      the    church      and      the 
parish     (voting    as    they     did     separately),    but     finally    they 
d    in    a  inanimous    vote    in    his    favor,    and    the 

rdination    was    appointed     for    Nov.    2nd,    1 

the  change    to 'in   old   style   dating 
it    the    13th    ol    Nov.,    just     two    hund 
day.       Five    chun  represented    by 

.     viz:     the     Old 
iir.h    in    Cambridge,    in    Newton, 
»rd    and    in    Woburn.       Mr.    Hancock    preached   his 
-    nuel     Willard,    of    Bos 


HISTORICAL      ADDRESS.  7 

gave  him  the  charge,  which  it  is  to  be  hoped  was  not 
drawn  out  to  the  extent  of  his  lectures  on  the  Assembly's 
Shorter  Catechism  as  published  in  his  "Body  of  Divinity," 
which  contains  two  hundred  and  fifty  lectures  upon  that 
lucid  statemement  of  Christian  doctrine.  Rev.  Joseph  Es- 
tabrook,  of  Concord,  gave  the  Right  Hand  of  Fellowship, 
and  "the  elders  assisted  by  the  laying  on  of  hands." 
Mr.  Hancock's  salary  was  fixed  at  .£40.  with  an  additional 
,£40.  as  a  settlement,  or  gift,  to  be  paid  during  that  and 
the  following  year.  A  sum  paid  as  a  settlement  was  a 
custom  of  the  New  England  churches  which  unfortunately 
has  long  since  been  abandoned.  Doubtless  it  had  the 
effect  of  prolonging  the  pastorates.  Since  the  people  there- 
by escaped  paying  frequent  settlements,  they  bore  more 
patiently  with  the  minister's  failings  and  let  him  remain  un- 
til the  Lord  called  him  home.  Thus  by  retaining  Mr. 
Hancock  fifty-five  years,  the  people  saved  the  payment  ol 
another    settlement    for    more    than    half    a    century. 

Scarcely  had  Mr.  Hancock  been  ordained  before  he 
began  planning  to  make  himself  a  permanent  home  among 
his  people.  He  was  settled  for  lite  when  but  J7,  and 
had  a  reasonable  expectation  of  many  years  of  usefulness 
and  happiness  to  come.  Accordingly  he  buys  a  lilt\  acre 
tract  of  land  of  15  ii.  Muzzey,  a  part  of  Pelham  Manor. 
extending  from  the  Common  on  both  sides  ol  what  IS  now 
Hancock  street  for  a  considerable  ditsance,  and  here  he 
soon  began  the  erection  of  a  humble  dwelling,  ha  I'd  n 
larger  than  a  single  room  in  some  <>l  tin-  spacious  houses 
of  tlu'  town  to-dav.  Probably  before  the  cage  was  fin- 
ished the  bird  to  sing  in  it  had  been  alread)  captured, 
and      soon     after      was      b  ought      from       the     pan  nt      rtes1     to 


HISTORfl    \l        KDDI 

!\    the    young    minister's    h< A    min* 

n  mini-'.  n< laughter  and  .1   minister's 

inddaughter.    how    could    it    l>r   otherwise    than    thai 
I  i     . i  U    should    he    a    minister's    wife,    lit   I"  be  the 

mothci   <>l   ministers,  "I   statesman    and  of   merchant   pru 

ndmother     and     greal     grandmother     of     men     and 

women    distinguished    in    theology,    in   literature,    in   science, 

in    philanthropy;  as  teachers,  as    physicians,    and   in  ;ill    the 

industries   of   life.     The    Town    Clerk    of  Chelmsford    sends 

iliis    record.      ••  [ohn     Hancock,    of   North    Cambridge,    and 

I        iIm-iIi    Clark,    of    Chelmsford,   were   married   Pec.    nth, 

:.'  rhomas  Clark."     The  bride's  mother,  Mary, 

was    the    daughter    of    Rev.    Edward    Bulkley,    of  Concord, 

who    was    the     son     of    Rev.    Peter      Bulkley,     the    founder 

town.     Who    will    sa)    that    blood    does 

tell,    when    we    trace   from    that    humble   home  of  John 

and    Elizabeth    Hancock    a    long  line  of   men   and    women  of 

high    moral,    intellectual   and    religious  character   who   in  so 

\    ways   rendered  grand   service  to  the  .state,   the  chinch 

and    the  \   arh    thirt\    ministers,    teachers, 

-    and     lawyers    may    be    traced    hack     to 

were     in     some     way   connected 

and    splendid     dwellings 

lired      to     bring     forth     noble     manho  »d     and 

womanhood    and    leave    an   influence    for    good    that  tells  on 

ut    a    life    of  industry,  ol    integrity,    of   in- 

•\    maintained    in    the    horn.1. 
thai     founded     l>\      [ohn     and     1 
-     not     half    as    comfortable     a-    n 

condition-  thus  cramped 
men    and    women    who,    for   the 

in    all     departments     of     human 


HISTORICAL      ADDRESS.  (j 

activity  and  progress;  not  because  the  environments  were 
coarse  and  mean,  but  because  the  life  there  was  conse- 
crated to  duty,  to  truth,  and  to  God;  while  all  thai 
wealth  and  learning,  art  and  taste  may  do  to  refine  and 
adorn  the  home  counts  for  little  and  often  miserably  tails 
to  create  and  exert  any  elevating  influence  upon  society. 
The  forming,  guiding  force  of  moral  and  religious  lite  i- 
not    in    them. 

But  what  of  John  Hancock's  ministry  during  the  fifty- 
five  years  of  its  continuance  in  the  parish  and  town? 
What  was  he  doing  here  for  this  period  of  more  than 
half  a  century?  Two  services  were  held  on  Sunday 
throughout  the  year,  with  no  vacation  for  minister  or  peo- 
ple, which  means  the  preaching  of  more  than  2000  ser- 
mons. They  were  generally  written  discourses,  as  I  judge 
from  an  entry  in  his  Common  Place  hook  where  he  --;i\-. 
"preaching  without  MSS.  and  good  sense  seldom  go  to- 
gether."' Nor  are  we  to  think  <>t  these  sermons  as  peth  ill 
teen  minute  productions  ''pronounced  trippingbj  on  the 
tongue,"  hut  solid,  thoughtful  discourses  of  an  hour's 
length,  upon  the  profoundest  themes  of  Puritan  theology, 
with  copious  applications  to  the  stall-  of  the  hearers.  In 
those  days  they  liked  what  the}  called  "a  painful  preacher," 
and     they     only     complained      when  S      sermons      weii-     \<*<< 

short,  easily  understood  and  left  no  ground  lor  disputa- 
tion during  the  week.  Parson  Hancock  was  ;i  diligenl 
student,  a  man  of  wide  and  varied  information,  a  care- 
ful reader  of  Harvard  College  library,  as  his  notes  and 
comments  abundantly  prove,  preserved  in  hi-  Common 
Place  Book.  This  is  a  huge  mass  of  extracts  and  re- 
flections in  his  hand-writing,  beginning  when  a  college 
student    and    extending    to    near   the    close    of  his    life.        Ihe\ 


i  HISTORIC  Al        M)DKI 

.in     octavo     vol •    "i      5O0     closel)     written     pa 

filled    i"    the    lasl     line    with     \'ev>     exceptions.       It    contains 
information    upon    a   multitude    « » t"  - 1 1 1  - 1  med   from  the 

i.  1.I1  ig  .in  I  experience  ol  .1  long  life.  It  is  a  remarkable 
the  mind  of  the  111. in  ;iml  revealing  his 
habits  and  charactei  mon  full)  Mian  anything  besides. 
II  ■  .ire  Science,  Philosophv,  Theology,  Medicine,  the 
phenomena  "t  nature,  ami  of  animal  life,  a  thousand 
l>i  ictical  matters  relating  t'>  the  farm,  the  household,  the 
church  ami  the  state,  interspersed  with  scraps  <>t"  history, 
biography,  the  sayings  of  greal  men,  stories  ami  pungent 
epigrams,  all  carefull)  ami  systematical!)  arranged  under 
proper  headings.  Probabl)  fiorn  these  readings  ami  re- 
ins, he  drew  the  subjects  ami  illustrations  <»i'  his 
sermons.  Ii  -■'.  Ik-  must  have  been  a  rare  preacher  for 
those  days.  \,,i  ime  "I  the  •■  dr\  as  dust "  sort,  i 
man)  were,  but  a  preacher  who  had  something  interest- 
ing to  sa\  that  had  relation  t<>  human  life  around  him, — 
knowledge  wholesome  and  good, —  thought  that  quickened 
ami  enlarged  thought,  —  that  made  a  man  more  <>l  a  man 
t'  'i    km i\\  ing  him. 

I'hi-  town  once  voted  thai  "no  writing  of  a  secular  con- 
cernment should  be  pul  up  at  the  meeting  house  for  the 
ead  on  Sunday."  As  we  read  the  old  sermons 
•t  1  hundred  and  fiftj  years  ago,  or  try  to  read  them, 
we  are  impressed  with  the  idea  that  something  like  this 
must  have  stared  the  minister  in  the  face  as  he  stood  in 
the  pulpit,  Nothing  that  touches  the  pressing,  vital  in- 
terests of  this  world  to-,l.i\  must  be  spoken  here.'"  Evi- 
dent!) John  Hancock  stood  in  no  tear  «»t"  such  an 
admonition.  N01  was  he  that  kind  of"a  preacher.  He 
had    the     Bap     and     vigor    of     real     lite.        He     was     a     think- 


HISTORICAL      ADDRESS.  1  l 

ing,  growing  man  as  long  as  he  lived,  and  so  awakened 
thought  and  life  in  the  people.  A  deeply  religious  man, 
an  earnest,  faithful  Christian,  a  tireless  worker  for  the  up- 
building of  the  church,  a  strict  disciplinarian  in  guard. 
ing  its  morals  and  bringing  offenders  to  the  bar  of 
confession  and  repentence.  Yet  he  was  no  bigot  and  held 
no  ecclesiastical  domination  over  the  people.  The  subject 
of  his  sermon  at  the  ordination  of  his  son  Ebenezer  .^ 
his  colleague,  is  "Ministers  are  the  People's  Helpers," 
and  the  first  point  is,  ministers  have  no  dominion  over 
men's  faith,  but  they  are  helpers  of  their  joy.  "Let  us 
all  be  thankful,"  he  says,  "that  we  are  delivered  from  a 
domineering  and  tyrannical  clergy."  And  again,  "the  charity 
of  some  is,   'to  damn   all   the   world   but   themselves.'" 

"  Biblical  criticism  "  did  not  originate  in  our  day,  as 
the  Common  Place  Book  of  John  Hancock  plainly  shows. 
Some  of  the  difficult  questions  of  interpretation  he  boldly 
grappled  two  hundred  years  ago.  Take  this  disc  ussi<  >n  oj 
the  Noachian  Deluge.  "How  was  it  possible,"  he  asks,  "if 
the  flood  was  universal,  for  water  enough  to  have  fallen 
in  forty  days  to  have  covered  the  tops  of  the  highest 
mountains?"  He  then  makes  a  mathematical  calculation 
showing  that  it  must  have  taken  more  than  fort)  years, 
and  then  he  asks,  "What  became  of  all  that  additional 
water?  But  if  it  was  local,  confined  to  Judea,  what  use 
was  there  in  building  the  ark  to  save  Noah  and  hi> 
family?"  However,  like  many  other  wise  men,  he  leaves 
the    problem    unsolved. 

Some  of  the  pithy  sayings  and  proverbs  recorded  are 
very  bright.  Thus,  he  says.  -War  is  a  fire  Struck  in 
the   devil's    tinder   box."     "Afflictions    are    the    whetstone    ol 


I    •  Ills  |i  IRK     \l  \M>II 

prayer."     "  Some    nun    will    marr)    then     children    I 

i  golden  trough."  He  discusses  questions  ol  casuistry 
with  much  common  sense.  Thus,  undei  the  head  ol  mar- 
he  asks,  "Is  it  lawful  t"i  .in  educated  Protestant 
woman  to  marr)  .1  Roman  Catholic,  ii  he  agrees  nol  to 
disturb  her  religion  ?  Ii  would  nol  be  sinful  for  her  t<> 
marr)  .1  pagan,  no  more  to  marr)  .1  Catholic,  especially 
when-  better  is  n<>t  to  be  had."  I  low  to  deal  with  a 
cross  husband  is  illustrated  by  the  example  ol  .1  worthy 
Christian  woman  who  had  such  an  affliction  to 
When  asked  how  it  was  that  she  managed  t"  live  pi 
ably  with  him,  she  replied  that  when  he  cunt-  home*  very 
cross  she  was  as  pleasant  and  agreeable  to  him  as  pos- 
sible, a  recipe  that  would  no  doubt  be  equally  efficacious 
in    similai     cases    to-day.     These    sim]  ids    gathered 

from    the    Common    Place    Book    show    thai    John    Han 

not  a  theological  or  ecclesiastical  fossil.  l>ut  a  man 
oi  real  flesh  and  blood,  with  a  warm,  beating  heart,  a 
man  in  close  touch  with  humanity  in  its  manifold  expres- 
sion and  experience;  a  man  who  was  abreast  of  the 
knowledge   md    progress  of    his    time.     Of    his   preachii 

printed    sermons   are    preserved    in    the    Harvard    library, 

notabl)    one    before    Gov.    Shute    and    the    General    Court,  in 

-.    entitled    '•  Rule  Benefactors    of    the     People." 

The    style     is    simple    and    direct,    free    from    much    ornament. 

it  tempt  at  rhetorical  display.  The  truth  is  plainly 
spoken.  Magistrates  and  legislators  are  told  how  they 
ma)    be    a    bli  1    the   people   by   an    example   of    1 

nty  and   piety,  by  devotion   to  the  public  weal,  by  cherishing 
the     schools,    the    college    and    the     church:     with     admirable 
to    the    electors    as    well    as     to    the    elected. —  much 


HISTORICAL      ADDRESS. 


'3 


of     it     as     pertinent    to     rulers     and    voters    of     to-da)    as    of 
those     of     a     hundred     and     seventy    years     ago.        It     is    no 
labored     exposition     of     scripture     texts     and     abstract     doc- 
trines,   but     a    forcible    urging     home     upon    the     hearers    ol 
their    duties    as    rulers,    citizens    and   Christians,      terse,    pun- 
gent,    practical     preaching    that     they    would     be     better     for 
hearing    and    heeding.      The    sermon   would    come  within    the 
limit     once     declared    by    a    good     judge    to    be    the     propel 
one    for    a    religious  service.      He    said    "  Let    it    he   an    hour. 
with    a    leaning    to    mercy."      But    the     sermon    that     ap] 
most     pleasing     and     impressive    is    that     ahead)     alluded    to 
at  the    ordination    of    his    son,   a    young    man    of    remarkable 
promise,     cut    off     from     his    work     with     his    father    here    in 
1739,    after   five    years   of    great    usefulness.      It    has   a    pecu- 
liar   interest    and    value,    however,    from    the    fact    that    there 
is   an    introduction,    or     "  preface,"    addressed    to    his    people, 
giving   a    glimpse   of    life    in    Lexington    in    1735.    a    hundred 
and     sixty    years    ago.        hirst     he     speaks    of     the     km. 
shown    to    himself    and    the     members    of     his    family    during 
the   thirty-two    years   of    his    ministry,   a   respect    and    kindness 
which    he    has    observed    is    sometimes     wanting     in     other 
places.        The     inhabitants    of     this     town,    he     says,    are     an 
industrious    and    thriving    people.      There    are     man)    senilis, 
savory    and    spiritual     Christians    among    them.        There    are 
no    drinking    clubs   or    companies    that     have    theil     appointed 
times   and    places    to    meet     ami    drink    and    game    and     spend 
their    precious     time,    as     1     know    ol.       II    then-    be,     I     I 
that    such    of    you    as    are    under    the    oath    ol     God     will    dis- 
perse   them.     The    rising    generation    have    formed   a    societ) 
and     hold    a     religious     meeting    <>n     the    evening    aftei     the 
Sabbath,    and     it    is    joyfully    increasing.       \     pleasing    picture 


1  I 


HISTORK    \l        \MMI 


ol    the    relations   of    pastoi    and    people    and    ol    thi 
(.us  treatment    ol    him    in    settling   his    son    as    his    assistant, 
with    the    .ulilitiun.il    salarj  ed    foi    his    support.     It    is 

doubtful  it  .1  bettei  reporl  could  l><-  made  to-day  of  the 
moral  condition  ol  Lexington,  notwithstanding  it  has  sis 
ministers  instead  "l  one.  Bui  that  shows  how  much  more 
difficult  it  is  to  instruct  and  influence  the  people  ol  to- 
day   than    those   of    .1    century   and    .1    hall 

The  title  ol  Bishop,  generally  applied  t'>  Mr.  Hancock, 
indicates  the  position  he  held  in  the  respect  of  the  1 
and  the  laity  as  the  counsellor  and  friend  of  all.  It  was 
no  assumption  of  ecclesiastical  or  dogmatic  authority  on 
Ins  pan,  Imt  an  honor  awarded  him  as  ,i  wise  adviser 
ami  pacificator  in  all  church  difficulties,  as  the  senior 
minister  ol  the  county  for  more  than  thirty  years,  and 
the  moderator  of  church  councils.  So  great  was  the  con- 
fidence in  his  wisdom  that  it  is  said  his  parishioners 
seldom  engaged  in  any  new  enterprise  without  asking 
Ins  advice.  Town  quarrels  and  disputes  over  pom 
lines  were  settled  peaceably  by  his  decision  as  [.■  what 
justice  and  equity  required,  so  that  for  many  years  there 
were  no  appeals  to  the  courts  from  the  people  of  Lex- 
ington. What  parson  Hancock  said  ought  to  he  done,  was 
done.  I  lis  word  was  law  as  well  as  gospel.  Members  of 
the  church  were  held  to  a  strict  account  for  all  violations 
■  ■I  chastity,  of  temperance,  of  honesty,  of  truthfulness,  and 
offenders    were   obliged    to  stand  up  before  the  congregation 

and     make    confession    of    their    wrong    doing     and     ask  *to    he 

en.        Many    such     rises     are     recorded     in    the    church 

hook;    some    anion-    the    most     wealthy   and    prominent    of   hi.s 

parishioners.      He  said    to    the    transgressor,    you    have   done 


HISTORICAL      ADDRESS. 


'5 


an  unjust,  an  impure,  or  an  unkind  thing,  and  you  musl 
repent  of  it,  must  come  before  the  people  and  say  so,  and 
promise  to  do  right  in  time  to  come.  It  was  done  by  high 
and  low,  rich  and  poor.  Was  it  the  power  of  fear,  or  the  inllu- 
ence  of  love,  that  held  strong  men  and  women  under  this 
stern  rule?  I  cannot  say,  but  certain  it  is  that  he  did  it.  But 
such  publicity  given  to  open  and  secret  sins  now,  1  feai  would 
soon  break  up  the  churches  and   disrupt  society. 

But  there  is  another    phase    to    John     Hancock's    character 
which  must    not    be    overlooked.      He    was  a  genial,  compan- 
ionable, loveable    man,  fond    of    pleasantry    and    wit,  a    _ 
story-teller,  and    not  above    enjoying  or    perpetrating    a    joke. 
Dr.  Appleton,  in  his  funeral   sermons  on   the  Sunday   folio 
Mr.  Hancock's    death,    speaks    of    him    as    cheerful   and 
tious  ;      so    much    so    as    sometimes   to    startle    and    shock   the 
soberer  brethren.     But  this  endeared   him   all  the   more   t<>  his 
parishioners  and   made   him   a   welcome  guesl    in    tin  n   \\< 
a    man    in    sympathy    with     the    humble    people    around    him, 
entertained     by    their     homely    wit    and     wisdom,    who     made 
himself   one   with    them   in    their   sorrows   and    joys.      Me   was 
given    to    hospitality,   says    Dr.    Applcton,    and    his    house   was 
the    resort    of    people    of    various    characters.      He   adds    that 
ministers    of    every    age    were    fond    of   his    company,    which 
proves    that    in    spite    of    their  harsher    theology    and    sternei 
manners,    ministers  of    that  day    were   much   like  ministers  oi 
this  day,  —  fond  of  one  who   tells  a   good   stor)    and  lightens 
up   the  somber  hues  of    life    with   cheerfulness    and  laughter. 
These    facts    make    creditable     some     traditions    ol     Mi       Han 
cock    related  by    Theodore    Parker,   in    a   lettei    oi    Ins  found 
in    Dr.    Sprague's  Annals  of  the    American    Pulpit     He  says 
that    in    his    old    age    some    people    wished    to    hav< 


i  (■  HISTOKICAI        VDDR1 

;i|)|)itiiiiril  in  the  church  to  assisl  him  in  his  duties  and 
two  "I  the  deacons  waited  upon  him  t'>  propose  the  matter. 
Hearing  them  through  he  said  I  suppose  you  would  be 
willing  to  accepl  the  office  yourselves.  We  would  be  will- 
ing,  was  the  reply.  Bui  do  you  know  what  elders  are 
required  to  do?  No,  bul  we  would  be  glad  to  learn. 
Well,  they  are  to  groom,  saddle  and  bridle  the  minister's 
Ik. isc  when  he  wislxs  t<>  ride,  bring  it  to  the  door  and  hold 
the    stirrup    for  him    to    mount,    and    when   he   goes    to  other 

towns  on   ministerial  duties    to    i mpan)    him    and   pay  the 

expenses.  This  was  enough;  they  departed  and  nothing 
more  was  said  about  appointing  elders  to  assist  their 
minister.  And  again,  we  have  the  story  of  Ids  call  upon  the 
family  of  a  wealthy  parishioner  when  the  wife  asked  him 
if  he  would  partake  of  some  refreshment,  to  which  he 
readily  assented.  Placing  before  him  her  largest  and  best 
cheese,  with  other  things,  she  hade  him  help  himself.  "But 
madam."  he  asked,  "where  shall  I  cut  this  fine  chees 
"Anywhere  you  please,  sir."  was  the  answer.  "Well,  then,  I 
will  cut  it  at  home."  and  accordingly  he  carried  it  away 
with  him.  <  )n  one  occasion,  meeting  a  parishioner,  he  said. 
"Brown,  1  hear  that  you  and  your  neighbor  are  quarreling 
over  that  boundary  line.  Now  go  and  bring  him  out  there 
with  both  your  deeds  and  let  us  settle  that  matter  at 
once."  It  was  done,  and  looking  the  land  over  with  the 
deeds  before  him.  he  decided  where  the  line  ought  to  run 
and  fixed  the  hounds  accordingly.  Both  submitted  to  his 
decision;  they  had  implicit  confidence  in  his  judgment  and 
his  impartial  wisdom.  Such  facts  .\nd  stories  bring  vividly 
US  John  Hancock  as  he  was.  a  man  revered  and 
:   by  his  people,  broad-minded,  kind-hearted,   more  ready 


HISTORICAL      ADDRESS.  17 

to  serve  than  to  be  served,  the  promoter  of  peace  in  the 
community,  the  helper  of  the  people's  joy.  I  cannot  think 
of  him  as  a  stern,  dogmatic,  opinionated,  unapproachable 
Puritan  priest,  lording  it  over  the  faith  and  the  conscience 
of  the  people,  but  as  a  cheerful,  genial,  whole-souled 
Christian  minister,  striving  to  do  the  Master's  will  in  the 
Master's  spirit,  a  man  of  good  learning  and  fair  intellect- 
ual ability,  but  also  of  a  good  conscience  and  a  tender 
heart. 

But    what  of    his    theology,    it     may    he    asked?      No   doubt 
it    was    like     that     of     all     New     England     ministers     of     that 
period.      Calvinistic,  but  of    the    milder  sort,    with    "a    strong 
leaning    towards  mercy."     In   his    sermons,   so    far    as    I    have 
read  them,    there    is    no    hard,     dogmatic   presentation     ol     the 
terrors    of    the    law    on    the    "  Ipse    dixit  "    of    am     1 
tical   authority,  so  much  as  an   appeal  to   reason,  to  conscience 
to  the  spiritual  nature  and  the  law  of  duty  and    ol   love       to 
what   most  becomes  man   as  Cod's   child,  as    Christ's    brother, 
and    as    the    heir   of   immortal    life.     As    a    preacher    he    was 
like    that    famous    Connecticut     divine    who,    when    asked     b) 
a    young   brother  what    was  the    secret    of    his    great   si  1  • 
and    of    his    own    failure    said,   "  In    fishing    for    souls.    1    bail 
the    hook    very  carefully    and    let     il    down    gentl}     before   the 
fish,    but    you    fish    with    a   bare    hook    and    throw    il    at    I  hem 
saying,  'bite,  or  be  damned.'"     John  Hancock's  was  the  gen 
tie,  winning   way  of  love;   of  good    sense,   and  not   ol    force   aid 
terror.     And    so    measured    by    the  standard    ol    elevating  in 
fluence    and    of   a    vigorous   church    life,    his    tninistrj    was  a 
true    success.     With    him    the    preaching    ol    dogma    was    in 
cidental    and    subordinate    to    the    preaching  ol    worth)     lite 
and    Christian    character.      Noble    manhood    and    womanl 


i  X  tICAL      A  l>i>r 

helpful    deeds,    .1    faithful,   loving   spirit,    were    the    vital    mat- 

rathei    than  speculative  doctrines  and    the   li.u'id  ob 
ance  ol    church    forms.      It    is   said  thai    he  showed   no   wan- 
in-    of    his    intellectual    and    spiritual     vigor    in    the    closing 

.  of  his  long  ministry.  Greal  sorrows  overshad< 
him.  His  youngest  son.  Ebenezer,  from  whose  association 
in  the  pastorate  he  had  expected  support  and  comfort  in 
Ids  old  age,  was  soon  taken  away.  His  oldesl  son.  John. 
pastor  of  the  church  in  Quincy,  and  father  of  the  future 
I  rnoi  [ohn,  soon  followed.  Thomas,  the  princely  mer- 
ehant  of  Boston,  alone  survived  to  cheer  the  declining  years 
of  his  parents.  lie  had  enlarged  the  humble  dwelling 
where  their  happy  married  life  began  and  all  their  children 
were  horn,  and  he  sent  from  his  ware  -  houses  whatever  was 
needful      for     their     comfort      when     the     depreciated     currency 

made  the  salary  very  meagre.  The  farm  was  transferred  to 
him,  relieving  them  from  anxiety  and  trouble,  and  a  negro 
servant  was  bought  and  presented  by  the  town  to  minister 
to  their  needs.  Half  a  century  passed  away  and  still  the 
venerable  pastor  bore  up  and  steered  right  onward,  never 
losing  a  jot  of  heart  and  hope  to  the  last.  The  people 
said  he  never  preached  better  than  on  the  Sunday,  two 
days  before  his  death,  when  his  text  was.  "Wist  ye  not 
that    I    must   be  about   my  father's  busini  The  i.-\u\  came 

December  5th,  1752.  He  died,  no  doubt,  as  he  desired,  with 
his  harness  on  and  his  face  to  the  foe,  fighting  for  the 
right  and  the  good.  Immediately  a  town  meeting  was 
called  to  see  what  should  be  done  to  provide  for  "the 
funeral  of  our  beloved  pastor."  The  sum  of  ^416  <  ».  1'. 
was  voted  and  every  preparation  made  to  give  his  body  hon- 
orable burial.      Mourning    rings  and    badges    were    distributed 


HISTORICAL      ADDRESS.  [g 

and  a  brick  grave  made  for  the  venerable  form  where 
it  was  laid,  while  a  great  multitude  gathered  around  weep- 
ing for  him  whom  they  should  behold  on  earth  no  more. 
In  the  old  burying  ground,  a  quiet  and  beautiful  spot, 
where  the  dust  of  his  congregation  reposes,  in  .1  tomb 
with  wife  and  son  and  many  grandchildren,  lies  all  that 
is  mortal  of  Rev.  John  Hancock,  -a  little  handful  of  dust, 
after  one  hundred  and  forty-six  years.  But  is  that  all  which 
remains  from  a  life  of  more  than  four  score  years;  and 
a  ministry  here  of  more  than  half  a  century;  from 
troubles  and  sorrows  patiently  borne,  truth  faithfully  sought 
and  boldly  proclaimed,  prayers  for  light  and  guidance  from 
a  struggling,  trusting  soul?  Ah  no,  that  cannol  It.  He 
was  ripened  here  for  nobler  service  of  God  and  man  in 
the  life  beyond.  Hundreds,  yea  thousands,  ha 
reached  by  influences  for  good  that  have  gone  out  from 
that  humble  home  of  John  and  Elizabeth  Hancock,  from 
that  long  ministry  of  faith  and  hope  and  love,  from 
that  life  of  high  aims  and  good  works  "hid  with  Christ  in 
Cod."  This  is  a  better  town,  a  nobler  Commonwealth,  a 
more  glorious  nation  for  the  family  John  Hancock  founded 
here,  and  the  souls  that  he  instructed,  guided  and  trained 
to  act  well  their  part  and  help  build  up  the  kingdom  ol 
Cod  in  the  world.  And  so  it  is  fitting  that  on  this  • 
anniversary  of  his  settlement  over  this  church  and  thi 
town,  his  name  should  be  recalled  and  honored  here,  that  his 
work    and     his    life    may    be    held     in    grateful    1  eiiinnb: .. 


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